Archive for the ‘Assisted Living’ Category

I recently read an article on unique living environments entitled “Finding the Perfect Niche” by Maureen Hrehocik. This article discusses the more recent popularity of niche housing for older adults needing long-term care.

One of the fastest growing senior housing niche markets are for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals (GLBT). A member of the new GLBT community points out that she feels “more at home with people who share her (my) values.” This is especially so for those abandoned or disowned by family due to their sexuality. With the rising popularity of these communities, individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender now have somewhere to live and grow old with their peers.

Another area on the move is university-based retirement communities (UBRC). While living in Austin, the University of Texas was making plans to open one of these facilities on campus. Currently, there are about three dozen university based retirement communities (UBRC) open in the United States. Most of the UBRCs meet the following criteria:

- The community must be located within a mile of the main campus.
- At least 10% of residents are expected to have affiliation with the University, whether as alumni or retired faculty.
- The community should be a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) providing all types of care, whether it’s independent, assisted, Alzheimer’s and/or skilled nursing.

Various cultures have also created niches for themselves. For instance, one Asian American nursing facility in California has two stone lions marking their entrance. No where in this facility will you find the number “4″, which signifies death to some Asian Americans. Also, the color blue is absent from the decor, because it is considered “undesirable.” These facilities have gained popularity because some prefer to be among those that have similar beliefs or customs.

Some seniors choose more non-traditional methods of retirement living. Since the year 2000, Bea Muller has been living on the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship. Her “assisted living” choice runs about $100,000 dollars per year. This cruise ship visits twenty-five countries per year. A study done by the American Geriatric Society (2003) discovered that the average cruise ship only costs around $11 dollars more per month than an a assisted living facility.

These days it’s not uncommon for cruise ships to have a “Bea Muller” type staying long-term. A cruise line called Residen Sea, has introduced “The World,” a ship that allows retirees to buy high-end apartments. Since cruise lines already have nurses and physicians on staff, it makes sense why some consider this type of retirement living.

With the large number of Americans retiring, it’s no wonder the options continue to grow. There is no doubt that Baby Boomers will reinvent the previously generic term “retirement.”

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niche housing, older adults, long-term care, University of Texas, university based retirement communities, Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), American Geriatric Society, retirement living, Baby Boomers

Recently, I learned of a V.A. aid and attendants program available to veterans or their spouses. Under this program, a veteran can receive a maximum of $1673.00 per month in benefits, and a spouse can receive up to $869.00 per month.

To qualify for this program a veteran must have had 90 days or more of active duty, only one day of which was during wartime. It is not necessary that they saw combat. They must not have had a dishonorable discharge.

In addition, the veteran or spouse must be determined to be “permanently and totally disabled.” This includes but no limited to: trouble dressing/undressing him or herself, blindness, and mental or physical incapacity.

The veteran or spouse does not need to be house bound or considered helpless. You just have to prove the person is in need of aid and attendance on a regular basis. The V.A. will generally accept a letter from a physician, which should state that the person has an incapacity that requires care or assistance on a regular basis to live safely at home.

There is a net worth requirement for this program. This is something the V.A. could assist you with since it changes on a routine basis. The last known net worth cutoff was $80,000, not including your home.

In addition to the net worth requirement, there is also an income requirement. The veteran’s countable income should not exceed the maximum annual pension rate which is currently $1,673 (adjusted periodically), or $869.00 per month for the spouse. However, some items may be deducted from income in order to meet this criteria. For example: doctor and dental visits, co-payments, medical supplies, therapy, transportation to the doctor, ect.

It can take up to ninety days to receive approval. However, once approved payments are made retroactively from the first month after the month that you apply. So, funds you previously spent on home care may be reimbursed to you when the V.A. aid and attendants coverage starts.

This information was provided by Interim Healthcare Private Services (Ocala, Florida), which provides quality home care to veterans and others needing assistance. To view their website, click on the link: www.interimhealthcare.com

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V.A., veterans, Interim Healthcare Private Services, Ocala, Florida

Recently, I read an article, entitled “10 Things Your Assisted Living Facility Won’t Tell you” listed on the Fox Business website that discusses the disadvantages of assisted living. For some of you that may be currently looking into assisted living facilities, I thought I would post this article.

Here is the URL:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/financial-planning/family-estates/
article/10-things-assistedliving-facility-wont-tell_167068_30.html

Although I think the article has a lot of relevant information, and could be useful to many people, it is key to remember that the article completely focuses on pointing out all the negative aspects of assisted living. I also want to say that I don’t necessarily agree with all the information.

For example, one of the “10 things to remember” is that assisted living facilities stop spending when the beds are full. While, I cannot speak for all facilities, this statement is largely overstated. I do know of several places where this is the case, but I know of more facilities where this is completely untrue.

Largely, I think several other factors should be considered such as:

- Does it provide a high level of quality of care to the residents?
- What type of reputation does the facility have in the community?
- How well did the facility do in recent inspections?

These are all things to think about…

Overall, I thought the article was worth reading and good “food for thought”. Just remember, the article was written in the negative (to point out problems). While it does give you 10 things to remember, what it doesn’t remind you of is the thousands of things that assisted living facilities do right everyday.

For my first “real” entry, I wanted to start off by saying that I am excited to begin this blog. Since I am a newly licensed nursing home administrator (April 2008), I am relatively new to the field of long-term care. I don’t claim to know everything pertaining to this field, but I’m passionate about making a difference. As I gain knowledge, I hope to be fortunate enough to share it with you.

Today I listened to an interesting speaker at our local “Toast and Topics” meeting in Ocala, Florida. One part of his lecture pertained to the importance of having a vision in business. As he pointed out, without a strong vision (specific objectives) of where you are going, it’s hard to meet one’s goals. How could a business meet distinct objectives without planning a way to get there?

For example, if a nursing home administrator wanted to change a hospital-like nursing home to more of a home-like atmosphere, it would take a strong vision to make these changes. Imagine how many people would have to get on board, not only to invest the money, but also to share the same goal. Many of the staff may even disagree with your vision–believing the old way is the “better” way. However, once people begin to share your vision and are willing to make changes, real positive results can be made. Leaving the meeting, I felt energized to begin focusing on my vision. Like he pointed out, without a vision, how do you expect to get where you’re going in life?

To All Nursing Home Residents and Staff: Happy Nursing Home Week!

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Ocala, Florida, nursing home administrator, nursing home, Nursing Home Residents, Nursing Home Week